Speeches by Madders.

“First of all, I just want to thank your members for the work that they do, because I know that it is a physically demanding job and that, as you have already set out, there are resource issues. Having spoken to my local delivery officers, I know that New Ferry is supposed to have 64 postal delivery workers and, with va…”

“What I am trying to understand is this: when you have those retention issues and those workforce gaps, what is local management doing to make sure that letters and parcels are being delivered?”

“In those circumstances, it’s no wonder that the USO is not being met.”

“On that framework agreement, there are a number of important issues that need resolving. Equalisation for new entrants’ pay is supposed to have been agreed within six months of the takeover, and that has not happened.”

“Martin, can I ask about the pyramid that you referred to? What status does that document have? Is it a management toolkit? Is it issued to all postal workers?”

“Mr Křetínský, have any of the senior executives been paid bonuses since you took over?”

“Okay, so when Royal Mail say, “We don’t have a policy of prioritising parcels,” you would say that it is there in black and white that this is exactly what they are doing.”

“About half an hour ago, Mr Křetínský, you categorically denied that parcels are prioritised in the business. The story the Committee has heard is very different. We have had hundreds of postal workers tell us that it is what happens. The Committee has previously found that it is what happens. There has been a BBC inves…”

“Would you agree to an independent audit?”

“Our evidence is that that is not the case at all—it is a routine instruction. When did you last go to a delivery office to see for yourself what happens?”

“So you accept that parcels are prioritised in certain circumstances, but you cannot tell us how many times that happens?”

“Ellesmere Port is benefiting from investment in its new market and £20 million from the Pride in Place fund, but the shopping centre is basically being left to rot by its owners, Adhan. The problem we have is that Adhan is a private company. It has made many promises of investment in the past, but has not delivered; sh…”

“If one of my constituents told me they had lost their job or been sacked because they had lied during the application process and they wanted compensation, I would tell them they had absolutely no chance of getting it, so I really struggle to understand why we paid a penny. I understand what the Chief Secretary to the …”

“Okay. I will not press any further on that.”

“Okay, but Tata is saying that we need something in place by April. That is a couple of months where there is no action, and we are being told that the industry is going to collapse if nothing is done. How can you be confident that doing something in June will be enough?”

“Some of these red lines have been very clear, and they are not going to change, so how will these things get to a resolution?”

“Indeed. On 10 February, we had Russell Codling, the commercial director of Tata Steel, give evidence. I am sure that you are aware of what he said to this Committee, which was that we have two months to save the industry. That was a month ago. He was very clear that a tariff regime needed to be introduced. He said: “I …”

“In terms of what you have seen so far, are there any unexpected wins? Obviously the fact that we are still on the pitch in terms of automotives is a good thing, but are there other areas where you would say we have done better on the first draft of this than you expected?”

“It is a novel approach to trying to resolve the red lines.”

“Thank you for your travel plans.”